"We haven't left the gate yet. I'm on break."
"That's not how planes work."
"I'm the captain. I make the rules."
She sits up straighter, suspicious now. "Dean, why are you really here? Is something wrong? Are we not going to the Maldives? Did the flight get canceled?"
"No, we're going. Everything's fine."
"Then why do you look like you're about to tell me someone died? Or that you're having indigestion? You're not, are you? I've got some Tums." She starts diving into one of her carry-ons.
I can't help laughing despite my nerves. "No one died, and my stomach's perfectly fine … well, except for feeling like a bunch of butterflies has taken flight. Can I come in?"
She scoots over, making room. "This feels ominous. You're freaking me out."
I close the door behind us for privacy. "Not ominous. Opposite of ominous."
"That's not a word."
"Anti-ominous."
"Still not a word."
The suite is cramped with two people. She pulls her legs up to give me room, watching me with confused amusement.
"Three months ago, I proposed to you at your sister's wedding."
"I'm aware. I was there, remember? I said yes. We're engaged. What's?—"
"It was fake. Started fake, anyway."
Liz blinks once. "Dean?—"
"I proposed because Maura was being cruel. You needed saving, and I had my grandmother's ring, and I just reacted. Spontaneously. It turned real. We made it real. But you deserve better than a panic proposal in front of your awful family."
"I didn't mind?—"
"You deserve a real proposal. One that's just for you. Not in front of people. Not for show." I gesture to the suite. "Private. Just us. I know you hate being the center of attention, and public proposals would make you want to die."
Her voice shakes, her eyes getting brighter. "So you're ... you're doing this here? Now?"
"Yes."
I reach into my pocket and pull out the velvet box. Her eyes widen when she sees it. I drop to my left knee in the cramped suite, have to be careful not to hit my head on the overhead bin, and open the box.
It's a rose gold band with a princess-cut diamond nestled in navy velvet.
I take her left hand with my free one. It's shaking, cold despite the comfortably warm cabin.
"Liz, this has been the best three months of my life. I want that forever. I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I want to bring you coffee before you even ask for it. I want to fix your hair clips when they won't cooperate. I want to hug you every time you wear something that makes you look like a sad eggplant or a grumpy turnip. I want to tell you I love you every single day until we're old and gray and you're still the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." I hold up the ring. "ElizabethTurner, will you marry me? For real this time? Just because I love you and want to spend my life with you?"
"Yes. God, yes. Of course, yes."
"Yeah?"
"Did you really think I'd say no?"
"Maybe? Three months isn't that long. You might've thought it was too fast."
